[118th Congress Public Law 131]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 138 STAT. 1641]]
Public Law 118-131
118th Congress
An Act
To amend provisions relating to the Office of the Inspector General of
the Government Accountability Office, and for other
purposes. <<NOTE: Nov. 25, 2024 - [S. 1510]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: GAO Inspector
General Parity Act.>>
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 31 USC 701 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``GAO Inspector General Parity Act''.
SEC. 2. OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.
Section 705 of title 31, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``The
Inspector General'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A), as so designated, by
striking the second sentence; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> If the Inspector General is
removed from office or is transferred to another position or
location within the Government Accountability Office, the
Comptroller General shall communicate in writing the substantive
rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons, for any
such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress (including
to the appropriate congressional committees), not later than 30
days before the removal or transfer.
``(C) If there is an open or completed inquiry into the
Inspector General that relates to the removal or transfer of the
Inspector General under subparagraph (A), the written
communication required under subparagraph (B) shall--
``(i) identify each entity that is conducting, or
that conducted, the inquiry; and
``(ii) in the case of a completed inquiry, contain
the findings made during the inquiry.
``(D) Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit a personnel
action otherwise authorized by law, other than transfer or
removal.'';
(B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3)(A) Subject to the other provisions of this paragraph,
only the Comptroller General may place the Inspector General on
non-duty status.
[[Page 138 STAT. 1642]]
``(B) <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> If the Comptroller General
places the Inspector General on non-duty status, the Comptroller
General shall communicate in writing the substantive rationale,
including detailed and case-specific reasons, for the change in
status to both Houses of Congress (including to the appropriate
congressional committees) not later than 15 days before the date
on which the change in status takes effect, except that the
Comptroller General may submit that communication not later than
the date on which the change in status takes effect if--
``(i) <<NOTE: Determination.>> the Comptroller
General has made a determination that the continued
presence of the Inspector General in the workplace poses
a specific threat; and
``(ii) <<NOTE: Reports.>> in the communication, the
Comptroller General includes a report on the
determination described in clause (i), which shall
include--
``(I) the substantive rationale, including
detailed and case-specific reasons, for the
determination made under clause (i);
``(II) an identification of each entity that
is conducting, or that conducted, any inquiry upon
which the determination under clause (i) was made;
and
``(III) in the case of an inquiry described in
subclause (II) that is completed, the findings
made during that inquiry.
``(C) <<NOTE: Time period.>> The Comptroller General may
not place the Inspector General on non-duty status during the
30-day period preceding the date on which the Inspector General
is removed or transferred under paragraph (2)(A) unless the
Comptroller General--
``(i) <<NOTE: Determination.>> has made a
determination that the continued presence of the
Inspector General in the workplace poses a specific
threat; and
``(ii) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> not later than the date
on which the change in status takes effect, submits to
both Houses of Congress (including to the appropriate
congressional committees) a written communication that
contains the information required under subparagraph
(B), including the report required under clause (ii) of
that subparagraph.
``(D) Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to limit or
otherwise modify any statutory protection that is afforded to
the Inspector General or a personnel action that is otherwise
authorized by law.'';
(2) in subsection (f)--
(A) by striking ``The Comptroller General'' and
inserting the following:
``(1) Prohibition.--The Comptroller General''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Budget independence.--The Comptroller General shall
include the annual budget request of the Inspector General in
the budget of the Government Accountability Office without
change.''; and
(3) in subsection (g)--
(A) in paragraph (1), in the second sentence, by
striking ``, except that no personnel of the Office may
be paid at an annual rate greater than $1,000 less than
the annual rate of pay of the Inspector General''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
[[Page 138 STAT. 1643]]
``(5) Legal advice.--The Inspector General shall, in
accordance with applicable laws and regulations governing
selections, appointments, and employment at the Government
Accountability Office, obtain legal advice from a counsel
reporting directly to the Inspector General or another Inspector
General.''.
Approved November 25, 2024.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1510:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 118-88 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 169 (2023):
Nov. 15, considered and passed
Senate.
Vol. 170 (2024):
Nov. 12, considered and passed
House.
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